Former leading New Zealand publisher and bookseller, and widely experienced judge of both the Commonwealth Writers Prize and the Montana New Zealand Book Awards, talks about what he is currently reading, what impresses him and what doesn't, along with chat about the international English language book scene, and links to sites of interest to booklovers.

Friday, November 20, 2009

The Wall Street Journal November 19, 2009,

Oprah Winfrey’s Exit: The Publishing Fallout

Oprah Winfrey’s spokeswoman said today that the talk-show host plans to end her long-running program in 2011. The loss of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” will be missed in particular by the book publishing industry.

“It’s a blow,” said Lorraine Shanley, a partner in the consulting firm Market Partners International Inc., who earlier this week watched former Alaska governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin promote her book on Ms. Winfrey’s show.

“Oprah Winfrey has supported many authors, and her book club has had a huge impact on America’s reading habits,” added Ms. Shanley. “She made Faulkner a best seller again. She also promoted an eclectic group of authors and created publishing successes for many commercial writers.”

Oprah’s Book Club, started in 1996, has selected dozens of titles over the years. The books are discussed on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” promoted on the show’s Web site, and given a seal of approval that’s placed on the book’s cover.

Over the years, the book club has helped to bring the works of well-known writers such as Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison and Cormac McCarthy to even broader audiences. The show has also introduced writers such as Edwidge Danticat to millions of readers.Read the full story at WSJ online.